Maryland Gov. Hogan won't challenge Trump for Republican nomination

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan will not challenge Donald Trump in a 2020 GOP primary, leaving the president’s Republican critics with few options to prevent his renomination.

Hogan’s decision, first reported Saturday afternoon by The Washington Post, was confirmed by three people close to him.

The popular two-term governor had been weighing a challenge to the president and had received encouragement from "Never Trump" Republicans, including conservative commentator William Kristol. Hogan, who won reelection in liberal Maryland last year by a landslide, has cast himself as one of the few prominent Republican officeholders willing to speak out against the president.

But those close to the 63-year-old have long acknowledged that a 2020 primary run was unlikely. Trump remains wildly popular with the Republican base, and his reelection team has launched a comprehensive effort to ensure delegates to the 2020 Republican National Convention support him.

In a statement that stressed bipartisanship, Hogan said he was dedicated to serving his terms as Maryland governor and chairman of the National Governors Association. “I believe both of those roles will give me the opportunity to make an impact on the direction of my party and the nation.”